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Effects of Seagrass Rhizospheres on Sediment Redox Conditions in SE Asian Coastal Ecosystems

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Abstract

We examined the rhizosphere structure of 14 seagrass meadows (seven mixed, three Enhalus acoroides, two Zostera japonica, one Thalassia hemprichii, and one Halophila ovalis) in the Philippines and Vietnam and tested their effect on sediment redox potential by comparing the redox potential in vegetated vs unvegetated sediments. The effect of seagrass photosynthesis on sediment redox potential was tested in an E. acoroides meadow during a short-term (2-day) clipping experiment. In all the meadows, the centroidal depth (i.e., depth comprising 50%) of seagrass belowground biomass was within the top 15 cm sediment layer. Redox potentials in vegetated sediments tended to be higher than those in adjacent unvegetated ones; sediment redox potential anomaly ranged from −61 to 133 mV across the meadows. The centroidal depths of positive redox potential anomaly and seagrass root biomass were significantly correlated across the meadows investigated (type II regression analysis, slope = 0.90, lower confidence limit [CL] = 0.42 upper CL = 1.82, R 2 = 0.59, p < 0.01). Experimental removal of E. acoroides leaves resulted in a decrease in rhizosphere redox potential by 20 mV, further confirming the positive effect of seagrass roots and rhizomes on sediment redox potential and, thus, the general conditions for microbial processes in the coastal zone.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the European project PREDICT (ERB3514PL972504, INCO Programme). We thank Lars Kamp-Nielsen for providing information on sediment type for the studied sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Change Research, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles (Illes Balears), Spain

    Núria Marbà & Carlos M. Duarte

  2. Department of Ecology and Marine Resources, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles (Illes Balears), Spain

    Jorge Terrados

  3. Marine Science Institute, CS, University of The Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines

    Zayda Halun & Miguel D. Fortes

  4. Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CSIC), C/Accés Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Girona, Spain

    Esperança Gacia

Authors
  1. Núria Marbà
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  2. Carlos M. Duarte
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  3. Jorge Terrados
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  4. Zayda Halun
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  5. Esperança Gacia
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  6. Miguel D. Fortes
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Correspondence to Núria Marbà.

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Marbà, N., Duarte, C.M., Terrados, J. et al. Effects of Seagrass Rhizospheres on Sediment Redox Conditions in SE Asian Coastal Ecosystems. Estuaries and Coasts 33, 107–117 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-009-9250-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-009-9250-0

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